Upper Dolpo Trek traverse Sangda-La Pass, 32 Days

Upper Dolpo Trek, situated in the mid-western part of the country between the Dhaulagiri mountain range and the Tibetan plateau is one of the most thrilling and challenging treks to the remote and isolated areas of Nepal. The Upper Dolpo Trek Traverse Sangda-La Pass is a journey to pure Tibetan region that takes through the undiscovered route in the mountain territory from the foothills of the massive Himalayas to several high passes and remote villages, connecting the desserts of Upper Dolpo with the beautiful Kali Gandaki valley in Mustang.

The 32-day amazing journey to Upper Dolpo begins with your arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. After a short stay at Kathmandu, the trip to Upper Dolpo continues with an amazing scenic flight above the hills and massive Himalayan ranges to Jhupal, which is also the starting point of the trekking journey, via Nepalgunj. The trekking route takes trekkers along lush tropical forests, beautiful valleys, and different traditional settlements. The route to Upper Dolpo also passes through Lower Dolpo. Moving alongside Suligad Gorge, you come across the beautiful “Shey Phoksundo Lake”, the deepest lake of Nepal with the depth of 145m. You also trek past the beautiful remote village of Ringmo and cross the first pass Nagdalo La (5350m) or Kang La that leads you to the sacred Shey Gompa, one of the ancient Buddhist monasteries in Dolpo. Throughout the trekking journey, you pass a series of high passes which offer extraordinary views of Dhaulagiri and Kanjirowa ranges along with Crystal Mountain and many other mountain ranges. Dolpo is equally rich in culture, as it has been considered as the last reserve of pure Tibetan culture left in the world. The area is less populated and is inhabited by the Tibetan community called drokpas, who still practice the pre-Buddhist Bon Po religion. The trek passes through many Tibetan villages of Saldang, Khomagaon, Shimen, Tinkyu Mendo, Sangda, Chharka Bhot, and so on which provide you an opportunity to learn and understand the Tibetan culture, tradition, and lifestyle. Traversing across Sangla La (5120m), the trail reaches the Valley of Kali Gandaki River, taking you to Jomsom in Mustang. Unlike many other treks, the trekking route to Upper Dolpo is uncharted and tough which provides trekkers an unprecedented adventure.

We at Swiss Family Treks and Expedition bid on serving our clients’ every need providing the best quality service. We deliver our clients with a-one transportation and accommodation facilities along with special tour packages and restricted area permits. Our locals guided by years of experience help you immerse completely in your journey. We make sure our clients have the best time during their stay in Nepal.

de 3.730 USD /
Jours: 18 / Difficulté: 4 de 5 (Intense)
Lower Dolpo Trek is one of the most exciting and challenging treks situated in the western hills of Nepal, which allows the trekkers to experience the real adventures of trekking on an off-the-beaten path, composed of steep sloppy hills. Lower Dolpo Trek is packed with amazing gifts of nature, including Shey Phoksundo Lake and also boasts of the pre-Buddhism Bon Po culture.
The 18-day Lower...

Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu 1340m
Welcome to the beautiful country of Nepal. We will meet you at the airport and will transfer you to the hotel. You can stroll around the nearby marketplace if you wish to. Overnight at a 3-star hotel in Kathmandu.

Day 2: Tour in Kathmandu Valley and permit procedure
After breakfast, the day will begin as we move to the cultural world heritage sites in Kathmandu valley. The day comprises of the visits to the pilgrimage site of Hindus--Pashupatinath temple, one of the world’s largest stupa--Boudhanath, the Monkey Temple—Swayambhunath, and the ancient palace of Kathmandu Durbar Square with its many temples and distinctive buildings. In the evening, pre-trip discussion with our fellow trekking staff will be done. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 3: Fly from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj 130m
Start early by moving to the domestic airport and catching the first flight to Nepalgunj. Upon arrival in Nepalgunj, the change in topography is felt. You will meet other team members who will guide you through the basic procedure of the trekking. Safety measures and precautions will be given. Overnight in Nepalgunj.

Day 4: Fly from Nepalgunj to Juphal 2490m
We take a 35 minutes flight to Juphal, the only airstrip in Dolpo. The flight provides us with amazing landscapes, from the flatlands to the towering hills to the barren landscape of Dolpo. We will have plenty of time in Juphal, so feel free to explore the small town and interact with the locals. Overnight in Juphal.

Day 5: Trek from Juphal to Sulighat 2075m
Starting the trek, we go downhill to reach Thuli Bheri River and follow the trails of the river past several small villages to reach the confluence of Thuli Bheri River and Suli Gad. We then make a quick ascend through the forest of big cedar to reach Sulighat. Overnight in Sulighat.

Day 6: Trek from Sulighat to Chhepka 2675m
Leaving Sulighat, a big suspension bridge will take us to the entrance of Shey Phoksundo National Park (SPNP). We then follow the trails of Suli Gad enjoying the distant views of Dhaulagiri Range. Then we will hike through the trail enclosed by pine, cypress, and bamboo forests until we reach Chhepka. Overnight in Chhepka.

Day 7: Trek from Chhepka to Amchi Hospital 3110m
Today the trail takes us further to cross Sulligad Bridge from where we follow Phoksundo Khola upstream on a narrow path high up in the valley. We move through forests with several bamboos stands further up the gorge. The gorge extends out as we pass a river union and continue on the trail alongside Phoksundo Khola to cross a bridge that takes us to Amchi Hospital. Overnight in Amchi.

Day 8: Trek from Amchi Hospital to Ringmo Gaon (Phoksundo Lake) 3725m
The trail descends through birch forests leading to the upper part of the Phoksundo Khola. Then we ascend to Ringmo village, an attractive settlement with flat-roofed stone houses and lots of mud-plastered chortens and Mani walls. Just below Ringmo, we pass a bridge and move to the ranger station ahead of Phoksundo Lake (3730). We walk to the shores of the lake near the point where the Phoksundo Khola flows out. We move along the trail to finally reach Ringmo Gaon. Overnight in Ringmo.

Day 9: Ringmo Gaon (Village)
The village of Ringmo sits on the bank of Shey Phoksundo Lake, so today we spend our time exploring the tranquil lake. Also known as the deepest lake in Nepal, Phoksundo Lake is surrounded by sparsely vegetated hills that add to the allure of the already enchanting lake. The beautiful peak of Kanjirowa Himal (6612m) peeks behind the hills surrounding the lake. Later, we can explore Ringmo village made up of about 20 Tibetan styled houses built in a close knit fashion to form the village bounded by dispersed cairns and Chortens. Overnight in Ringmo.

Day 10: Trek from Ringmo Gaon to Chabluk Phu 3625m
We hike back up to the lake and walk along its bank all the way to its bottom. We then follow the trail through the riverbed of Phoksundo Khola relishing the view of Kanjirowa Himal (6612m). Then we move to reach the campsite in Chabluk Phu, a grazing area, just where the trail hits leveled ground. Overnight in Chabluk Phu.

Day 11: Trek from Chabluk Phu to Nagdalo La Base Camp (Snowfields Camp) 4625m
From Chabluk Phu, we continue up the gorge with irregular juniper and azalea tree line before crossing a bridge over the river. We then make a steep climb on a cliff above Tuk Kyaksa Khola to reach Nagdolo La Base Camp, also known as Snowfields Camp, which is situated next to the river. This Camp was entitled by Peter Mathiesson in his book “Snow Leopard”. Snowfields Camp is at the base of Kang La also known as Nagdalo La (5350m) that leads to Upper Dolpo. This is also a useful acclimatization walk that will surely help with tomorrow’s hike. Overnight in the base camp.

Day 12: Trek from Nagdalo La Base Camp to Shey Gompa 4375m
We make a long and energetic ascent for about 2 and half hours over a dusty path to reach Ngadalo La (5350m). An amazing view of Phoksundo Lake and the Upper Dolpo region can be seen from the top of the pass including the view of the Kanjirowa Himal range. Then we descend on a path covered with snow to reach Shey Gompa, a very small village with a couple of houses and the Gompa. It is an 11th century gompa, located below the Crystal Mountain on a small grassy plain at the union of Sephu Khola and Hubaiun Khola. Overnight in Shey Gompa.

Day 13: Shey Gompa
We rest today and explore the area around Shey Gompa. Shey Gompa was built in 1655 and the monastery is renowned for its giant copper with the gold-plated gold statue of a seated Sakyamuni Buddha. To the east of the Gompa is Crystal Mountain which is a unique mountain as its twisted cliffs are mixed with quartz and embedded with a rich variety of aquatic fossils. We spend the day climbing around Shey village where you can get the glimpse of its pre-Buddhist culture, the Bon Po. Overnight in Shey Gompa.

Day 14: Trek from Shey Gompa to Namgung 4430m
To get to Namgung, we leave Shey Gompa and make a steep climb to Sela La (5094m). While we are descending through Sela La Pass (5094m), we can enjoy the beautiful sight of the northern part of the Tibetan plateau, which is the highest highland in the world. We go downhill to the meadows of Namgung and visit Namgung Monastery before moving into the village. Overnight in Namung.

Day 15: Trek from Namgung to Saldang 3980m
Our trek to Saldang starts with ascending slope lines with a few trees. We have to climb for a while before going downhill to the attractive village of Saldang, situated on a highland above Namha Khola. Contrary to the popular belief, the village is wealthy, not only agriculturally but also for its planned locality on a trade route to Tibet. The village also used to be a separate kingdom of Dolpo in the ancient times. Overnight in Saldang.

Day 16: Saldang Village
Today we take another rest day so that we can explore the beautiful Saldang village. The arid yet picturesque village, encompassed by sand dunes, is home to centuries old monasteries like Samye Choling Monastery and Jovo Monastery along with their many Mani walls and prayer flags. Apart from the monasteries, we will also visit the hidden hamlets around Saldang. Overnight in Saldang.

Day 17: Trek from Saldang to Khomagaon 4100m
From Saldang, we move further along the quite paths leading to Khomasgaon. The track goes along the vast landscape composed of sand dunes and bare hills, moving through several white-washed villages, long Mani walls, and painted chortens. We cross small streams and climb uphill and downhill until we reach Khomagaon. Overnight in Khomagaon.

Day 18: Trek from Khomagaon to Mendo 4000m
After breakfast, we leave our campsite at Khomasgaon and start moving further following the trail that goes through traditional villages and Mani walls. We cross Nang La Pass (4375m) and climb down along the arid terrain to reach Panjyan Khola on whose bank Mendo is situated. We walk alongside the river for a while to reach Mendo via Shimen Gompa. Overnight in Mendo.

Day 19: Trek from Mendo to Tinkyu (Tinje) 4110m
Today our trek continues as we move downhill along the off-road trails above the gorge of Panjyan Khola. We visit the ancient Pu Gompa before continuing on our trail to Tinkyu. The sights of spectacular sceneries and the exclusive culture of Upper Dolpo surely put forward enchanted experiences to the trekkers. After a long and good trek day, we reach Tinkyu. Overnight in Tinkyu.

Day 20: Tinkyu (Tinje)
This is the main village in an extensive valley with wide fields, two Gompas, and an old fortress. The famous Dolpo-pa artist Tenzing Norbu Lama was born in this village and had trained in the art of traditional Tibetan thanka painting. He helped to train villagers from Tinkyu to paint and yield handcraft leather goods. We explore the village thoroughly and also visit the many ancient monasteries situated around Tinjye before calling it a day. Overnight in Tikyu.

Day 21: Trek from Thinje to Rapka 4535m
We move alongside Panjyan Khola to an old settlement and arrive at a river union where we take the left tributary Kehein Khola to move across the left bank of the river. We cross several bridges above Kehein Khola to reach Rapka where we camp for the night.

Day 22: Trek from Rapka to Chharka Bhot 4110m
After breakfast, we move from Rapka and hike over the track that goes uphill mildly towards Chharka La Pass (5027m). After arriving at the top of the pass, we go downhill on the side of the gorge and descend to Chharka Village located at the bank of Chharka Tulsi Khola. In the evening, we will visit Sarchhen Gompa situated in the center of the scattered village. Overnight in Chharka Bhot.

Day 23: Chharka Bhot
Today we can either explore the village or just relax before confronting the exciting days ahead. We will explore the two gompas, Buddhist and Bönpo, signifying the two religions of Dolpo. This day could also be used as a buffer in case of any postponements. Overnight in Chharka Bhot.

Day 24: Trek from Chharka Bhot to Norbulung 4750m
Today we move downhill to the stream, and then we continue to trek next to the right bank while ascending on an uneven trail. We move into a big meadow as the valley contracts. Our trek continues as we ascend to reach our campsite in Norbulung. Various peaks of the Dhaulagiri massif start to come in sight as we near the Annapurna region. Overnight in Norbulung.

Day 25: Trek from Norbulung to Molum Sumdo 4860m
We start to follow the trail alongside a small stream that ascends to Molum Sumdo, a yak pasture. Our trek ascends slowly before making a long traverse across fields to reach the base of Sangda La (5120m). From Molum Sumdo, we can get a good view of Dhaulagiri II (7751m), Tongu Himal (6197m), and several other snow-capped peaks. Overnight in Molum Sumdo.

Day 26: Trek from Molum Sumdo to Sangda Phedi 5100m via Sangda-La Pass
After breakfast, we ascend to the pass of Sangda La (5120m) before moving down to the village of Sangda Phedi. The top of the pass allows us to get an ood view of the Dhaulagiri massif along with the surrounding landscape. From there, we move downhill to reach the compressed settlement of Sangda. Overnight in Sangda Phedi.
Day 27: Trek from Sangda Phedi to Santa Village 3710mm
Leaving Dolpo behind, we make our way through Annapurna Conservation Area and make a quick ascend to Jugben La (5550m). Later, we move downhill through a steep gorge to pass the first tributary river, and then we navigate to the second river passing on rocks. Soon after, we will see the entry chorten to Santa village followed by a big wall around the farmlands. Overnight in Santa.

Day 28: Trek from Santa Village to Phalyak 3175m
From Santa, we start ascending until reach Bhima Lojun La (4460m), from where we have a superb vista of the Kali Gandaki River valley. Observing snow-capped peaks, we descend through Mustang's patchy. Diverging from the main trail, we make a steep descend through the forest to reach Phalyak. Phalyak is an exciting Mustangi village which holds a yearly archery fiesta as most of the Mustangi and Managi villages do. Overnight in Phalyak.

Day 29: Trek from Phalyak to Jomsom 2724m
Today we follow a small tributary to reach Kali Gandaki River in Ekle Bhatti. We then walk on a flat trail through the riverbed to reach the windy town of Jomsom. After exploring the town, we will celebrate the accomplishment of the trip together. Later on, you can hand out tips to the staff for all their hard work throughout the trek. Overnight in Jomsom.

Day 30: Fly from Jomsom to Pokhara & afternoon flight back to Kathmandu
Today we take two consecutive flights from Jomsom to Pokhara and Pokhara to Kathmandu. These flights will provide us with different landscapes that are typical to Nepal. The rows of hills and the vast network of rivers dominate the Nepalese terrain. Upon arrival in Kathmandu, you will be transferred to your hotel so that you can get a good rest. Overnight at 3-star hotel in Kathmandu.

Day 31: Buffer Day in case of flight delayed and canceled and Stay overnight in Hotel.
This day is kept as a contingency day. In case, we were unable to board either of the flights the day before, we can do it on this day. But if we had arrived in Kathmandu as planned, you can use this day to explore the various markets and temples of Kathmandu. Overnight in Kathmandu.

Day 32: Final Departure from Kathmandu
Today you will head back to your home country. After breakfast, our representative will leave you at the airport 3 hours before the scheduled time of your flight.

NOTE: Our trekking itinerary and campsites may vary slightly depending on local trail conditions, the group's acclimatization rate and the Western, Sherpa or Tibetan guide's discretion. We strongly suggest scheduling an extra day in Kathmandu at the end of the trek that allow for possible flight delays in getting to Juphal and/or out of Jomsom.

Customize Your Trek: This is a general itinerary, which can always individually be “tailormade”. The trek package can be redesigned or redeveloped as per your taste, For more information please e-mail us at snftnepal@yahoo.de

Note: In case of emergency during the trip, Helicopter will be arranged by Swiss Family Treks & Expedition GmbH. The charges must be paid by the clients themselves.

Our Trek Package Cost doesn't include;
* Any meals in Kathmandu other than breakfast.
* Travel insurance (if you want us to arrange your travel insurance, we would greatly be happy to assist).
* International air fare to and from Nepal.
* Nepal Tourist Visa fee.
* Items and expenses of personal nature.
* Any kind of alcoholic drinks, cold drinks, laundry, phone call, internet.
* Personal Trekking Equipments like sleeping bags, jackets (can all be hired in KTM)
* Emergency Evacuation (Helicopter Rescue).
* Any costs which arise due to a change of the itinerary, because of landslides, political disturbance, and strikes etc.
* Any other costs whatsoever, that is not mentioned in the cost included.
* Horse renting and additional porters due to natural calamities during the trek.
* Tips for guide, porters, driver...